This invention relates to a monitor system for detecting variations in the flow of a fluid, and more particularly, to a monitoring system for detecting the stoppage of air flow through duct means. The invention has substantial utility when used in conjunction with agricultural harvesting apparatus such as a cotton picker, or the like, and is herein illustrated in conjunction with such harvesting apparatus. However, it will be understood that the monitoring system of this invention has novel concepts which can be utilized in detecting variations in the flow of liquids as well as gases.
It is well known that automatic harvesting equipment greatly improves the efficiency and productivity of producing agricultural products. For example, in the harvesting of cotton, large automatic cotton pickers are utilized to harvest large crop-fields in a single day. These cotton pickers are engine-driven machines which are transported over the ground and have picking apparatus positioned in the front of the machine to remove cotton balls from the cotton plants. The cotton balls are then transported through suitable duct means within the machine and deposited within a receptacle resembling a large wire cage located at the top or rear of the machine. To assist in picking the cotton, the cotton picking mechanism may be made wet by spraying water thereon so that the cotton is more easily removed from the plant. This enables a larger quantity of cotton to be picked from the plants and thereby increases the efficiency of the cotton harvesting equipment.
For one reason or another, the cotton may clog the duct through which it travels en route to the receptacle and stop the flow of cotton from the cotton plants to the receptacle. Should this happen, the operator would not know of the blockage until he observes that no cotton is passing through the outlet of the duct. This may be difficult to detect as many large automatic cotton pickers are provided with several ducts through which the cotton flows en route to the receptacle. Therefore, should one of the ducts become clogged, it may be hard to detect since cotton is still coming out of the other ducts. Also, the water tank utilized for wetting the picking spindles will run dry several times during the picking operation. This requires the operator to stop the picker and refill the water tank to maintain the picking spindles clean and to insure proper picking action.